The constantly increasing operational speeds of digital computers are creating a demand for corresponding increases in the data storage capacities of magnetic tape recording and reproducing systems, while maintaining the special requirements of high speed digital tape systems. As shown in FIG. 1, a typical single reel magnetic tape drive 10 includes a baseplate 11, a take-up reel 15, a take-up leader 50 attached thereto, a read/write head 16, control circuits (not shown), and an opening 17 defined in a face plate 12 for receiving a tape cartridge 20. In FIG. 1, the tape drive 10 is shown with the tape cartridge 20 and the take-up leader 50 being buckled to a tape leader 30. In addition, an enclosure covering the top of the drive 10 is removed in FIG. 1 to show the internal components described above.
By way of example, a section of a typical take-up leader 50 is shown in FIG. 2b. The take-up leader 50 includes a nose 51 and neck 55 defined at one end while the other end of the take-up leader 50 is attached to the take-up reel 15.
A typical tape cartridge includes a housing, a supply reel, and a fixed length of magnetic data storage tape attached thereto. A tape leader 30 is attached at one end of the data storage tape while the other end of the tape is attached to the supply reel hub. The cartridge is inserted into the tape drive to store the desired information thereon, and removed and stored in a secure location. A tape cartridge is typically four and one-tenth inches square and one inch high. FIG. 2a shows a typical tape leader 30 including a tape leader hoop 39. The hoop 39 includes a notch area 32. The hoop 39 is dimensioned to enable the take-up leader nose 51 and a take-up leader neck 55 to pass therethrough. The notch area 32 is further dimensioned to enable the neck 55 to pass therethrough, but prevent the nose 51 from passing therethrough. Thus, in a "buckled" position, the nose 51 is locked against the notch area 32.
As an example, FIG. 3 represents a typical buckling process wherein, as a cartridge 20 is inserted into a tape drive, the tape leader 30 and take-up leader 50 are buckled by a buckling mechanism 25. The process of buckling/unbuckling the take-up leader 50 with the tape leader 30 is described in detail in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/666,854 and is incorporated herein by reference. In addition, commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,662,049 and 4,720,913 provide examples of prior tape buckling arrangements and structures. The contents of which are also incorporated herein by reference.
Unsuccessful buckling is a costly source of drive failure. Two of the more common buckling failure modes are "leader runaway" and "half-buckling". Leader runaway occurs when the leaders are not completely locked, and the take-up leader unbuckles before the tape leader has been pulled into the take-up reel. Half-buckling occurs when only one ear of the take-up leader nose engages and locks to the tape leader hoop and often results in leader runaway. Leader runaway is a failure that cannot be fixed by the end user and requires the tape drive to be returned to the drive manufacturer for repair. Causes of buckling related drive failures are commonly related to the buckling mechanism design and/or the integrity of the take-up leader.
Thus, there exits a hitherto unsolved need for an improved, simple and cost efficient tape drive assembly for coupling a tape leader to a tape drive take-up leader that eliminates the use of a buckling mechanism and take-up leader, thereby eliminating the possibility of buckling related drive failures.